This invention relates to tubs for bathing infants and toddlers, particularly tubs configured to bathe children in both a reclined and a seated position.
Very young infants are unable to sit unsupported, and so are typically bathed in a reclined position. Inexpensive plastic tubs are sold for this purpose. These tubs are typically configured to be set upon a horizontal surface, such as a kitchen countertop, for use, and some of these tubs can fit in standard kitchen sinks.
As children develop the ability to sit up, they often are unwilling to remain reclined for bathing, but prefer to sit erect. Some parents then switch to bathing their children in an adult tub, although some would prefer to continue to bathe such children in smaller tubs, either for convenience and water conservation, or for fear of injury. At least one tub has been configured with a reclined back rest at one end for bathing infants, and a more upright back rest at the other end for bathing an older child in a seated position. Although such extended use tubs have been quite well received in the market, improvements are sought for the utility and efficiency of such tubs.
We have realized several particularly useful improvements in the design and use of tub for bathing children. Our invention features a tub having a molded plastic body having an upper rim and defining a bathing basin sized for bathing a young child and having a bottom surface and opposing side walls forming opposite ends of the basin. A first of the opposing side walls extends at a first incline angle with respect to the rim, and a second, opposite one of the opposing side walls extends at a second incline angle with respect to the rim, the first and second inclined side walls forming back rests for children seated in the tub in different orientations. In this sense, the tub is useful for bathing at one time an infant reclined against the first back rest, and then, at another time, bathing a child seated erect against the second back rest.
Preferably, the bottom surface has two seating surface disposed at differing inclinations and extending from respective back rests to distal edges joined at a bottom surface apex spaced from either end of the basin, each seating surface forming, together with a respective one of the back rests, an inclined seat.
According to one aspect of the invention, the body has a nominal thickness an upper and lower surfaces having matching shape across an overall extent of the tub so as to enable tub to nest within an identical tub with a nesting space differential of less than about 2.0 inch (5 centimeters), preferably less than about 1.75 inch (4.5 centimeters). By xe2x80x9cnesting space differentialxe2x80x9d we mean the maximum linear difference in space occupied by one tub and two tubs nested together. Generally, this will be the increase in vertical stack height caused by adding one more tub to a stack of already nested tubs. This parameter is critical to the efficient transportation and storage of tubs, particularly of molded plastic tubs that generally have little weight for the space they occupy. Occupied space can generally be considered the size of the smallest parallelepiped or box that will contain the tub.
According to another aspect of the invention, the body has a nominal thickness and upper and lower surfaces having matching shape across an overall extent of the tub so as to enable the tub to nest within an identical tub with a stacking factor of less than about 20 percent. By xe2x80x9cstacking factorxe2x80x9d we mean the increase in height of two such tubs nested together, as compared to a single such tub. For example, if each tub has a height of 10 inches (25 centimeters), and the tubs nested together have a stacked height of 12 inches (30 centimeters), then we would say that such tubs have a stacking factor of 20 percent.
In some embodiments, the cavity includes two side troughs extending along either side of the inclined seats and formed within wales defining resting points positioned to support the tub on a horizontal surface. Preferably, the wales form laterally aligned sink divider notches at one end of the cavity, and laterally aligned ledges at the other end of the cavity, with the notches sized and positioned to receive an upper edge of a divider of a double sink when the tub is placed over one basin of the double sink with the ledges resting on one outer edge of the sink. In some cases, the notch and ledge are separated along each wale by a distance of about 14.5 inches (37 centimeters).
In some embodiments, the wales each have longitudinal ends disposed behind the back rests and positioned to abut opposite walls of a single sink with the tub rim resting upon an upper edge of the sink and the tub disposed within the sink. Preferably, the longitudinal ends of each wale are spaced apart by a distance of about 20 inches (50 centimeters).
In some embodiments, the side troughs extend below and along either side of the bottom surface apex.
The tub rim defines a separate water basin behind one of the back rests in some constructions. The separate water basin may be defined between braces extending from behind one of the back rests, for example.
In some cases, the rim includes a downwardly depending, distal edge of the plastic body and forms guide ridges at one end of the tub for positioning edge clips of a tub cradle.
A drain hole may be provided in a bottom of the basin, with the tub including a removable drain plug for plugging the hole.
Preferably, the first inclined wall extends generally at an angle of between about 35 and 45 degrees with respect to horizontal with the tub resting upright on a horizontal surface. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the first inclined wall extends generally at an angle of about 41 degrees with respect to horizontal with the tub resting upright on a horizontal surface, with the seating surface associated with the first inclined wall inclined at about 45 degrees with respect to horizontal with the tub resting upright on a horizontal surface.
Preferably, the second inclined wall extends generally at an angle of between about 70 and 85 degrees with respect to horizontal with the tub resting upright on a horizontal surface. In the presently preferred embodiment, the second inclined wall extends generally at an angle of about 77 degrees with respect to horizontal with the tub resting upright on a horizontal surface, with the seating surface associated with the first inclined wall disposed generally horizontally with the tub resting upright on a horizontal surface.
The seating surfaces may be joined by a central bottom surface portion that rises from the distal edge of one of the seating surfaces to the distal edge of the other of the seating surfaces.
Preferably, the tub has an overall height of less than about 10 inches (25 centimeters).
The body may be molded of various resins, including polypropylene.
According to another aspect of the invention, the cavity of the tub includes two side troughs extending along either side of the inclined seats and formed within wales defining resting points positioned to support the tub on a horizontal surface, the wales forming laterally aligned sink divider notches at one end of the cavity, and laterally aligned ledges at the other end of the cavity, the notches sized and positioned to receive an upper edge of a divider of a double sink when the tub is placed over one basin of the double sink with the ledges resting on one outer edge of the sink.
In some embodiments, the body has a nominal thickness and upper and lower surfaces having matching shape across an overall extent of the tub so as to enable the tub to nest within an identical tub with a nesting space differential of less than about two inches (five centimeters).
The notch and ledge are preferably separated along each wale by a distance of about 14.5 inches (37 centimeters).
In some cases, the wales each have longitudinal ends disposed behind the back rests and positioned to abut opposite walls of a single sink with the tub rim resting upon an upper edge of the sink and the tub disposed within the sink. Preferably, the longitudinal ends of each wale are spaced apart by a distance of about 20 inches (50 centimeters).
In some embodiments the tub rim defines, behind one of the back rests, a separate water basin having a lower surface formed by a molded body surface positioned to rest upon the upper edge of the sink with the tub disposed within the sink. Preferably, the separate water basin is configured to hold at least about 20 ounces (0.6 liters) of water.
In some preferred embodiments, the body has a nominal thickness and upper and lower surfaces having matching shape across an overall extent of the tub so as to enable the tub to nest within an identical tub with a stacking factor of less than about 20 percent.
The above-described tubs enable yet another aspect of the invention, a method of bathing children. The method includes placing an infant in the tub of one of the above-described tubs, with the infant reclined against the first back rest; washing and removing the infant; placing a child in the tub, with the child seated against the second back rest; and washing the child.
Another aspect of the invention features a stack of tubs, each tub consisting of a tub configured as described above, the stack having an overall height less than 10 inches plus the quantity of two inches times the number of tubs, less one, in the stack.
In some cases, the stack consists of at least five tubs and has an overall height less than about 18 inches (46 centimeters).
The invention features improvements to the configuration of known xe2x80x9c2-in-1xe2x80x9d infant/toddler tubs, enabling more efficient packaging and greater utility.